Senator Reintroduces Bill to Recognize Native Hawaiians

The so-called Akaka bill is part of a seven-year push for legislation to recognize Native Hawaiians as indigenous inhabitants of the 50th state. Their legal status would be similar to that of American Indians and Alaskan Natives.

The bill provides a process to set up a Native Hawaiian government and then start negotiations to transfer power and property from state and federal authorities to Hawaiians.